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United States two-dollar bill
The United States two-dollar bill ($2) is a current denomination of U.S. currency. President Thomas Jefferson is featured on the obverse of the note. The reverse features an engraved modified reproduction of the painting The Declaration of Independence by John Trumbull. The bill was discontinued in 1966 but was reintroduced 10 years later as a potential cost-saving measure. Today, it is seldom seen in circulation, and as a result, the production of the note is the lowest of U.S. banknotes: under 1% of all notes currently produced are $2 bills. Throughout the $2 bill's pre-1929 life as a large-sized note, it was issued as a United States Note, National Bank Note, Silver Certificate, and Treasury or "Coin" Note. When U.S. currency was changed to its current size, the $2 bill was issued only as a United States Note. After United States Notes were discontinued, the $2 bill later began to be issued as a Federal Reserve Note. Denomination overview The denomination of two dollars was authorized under a congressional act and first used in March, 1862.[1] The denomination was continuously used until 1966 when the only class of U.S. currency it was then assigned to, United States Notes, began to be discontinued.[2] The $2 bill initially was not reassigned to the Federal Reserve Note class of United States currency and was thus discontinued; the Treasury Department cited the $2 bill's low use and unpopularity as the reason for not resuming use of the denomination. In 1976 production of the two-dollar denomination was resumed and the two-dollar bill was finally assigned as a Federal Reserve Note, with a new design on the back featuring John Trumbull's depiction of the drafting of the United States Declaration of Independence replacing the previous design of Monticello. It has remained a current denomination since then.[3] It was estimated that if the two-dollar bill replaced approximately half of the one-dollar bills in circulation, the federal government would be able to save about $26 million in 1976 dollars ($106 million adjusted for inflation)[4] over the period from 1976 to 1981, due to reduced production, storage, and shipping costs.[5] Today, two-dollar bills are not frequently reissued in a new series like other denominations which are printed according to demand; two-dollar bills today are issued but are requested to be printed less often than the other denominations.[6] Though some cash registers accommodate it, its slot is often used for things like checks and rolls of coins. Some bill acceptors found in vending machines, self checkoutlanes, and other automated kiosks are configured to accommodate two-dollar bills, even if the fact is not stated on the label.[7] Although they usually are not handed out arbitrarily, a small number of two-dollar bills can often be found on hand at banks. Many banks stocking $2 bills will not use them except upon specific request by the customer, and even then, may cause a delay with a trip to the vault.[8] http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=United_States_two-dollar_bill&action=edit&section=2 editRarity The rarity of a $2 bill can be attributed to its low printing numbers that sharply dropped beginning in the late 1950s when the $2 bill was a United States Note and recently the sporadic printings of still relatively low numbers as a Federal Reserve Note. Lack of public knowledge of the $2 bill further contributes to its rarity. This rarity can lead to a greater tendency to hoard any $2 bills encountered and thus decrease their circulation. Supplies of the Series 1976 $2 bill were allowed to dwindle until August 1996 when another series finally began to be printed; this series, however, was only printed for the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. [9] Until the late 1980s, $2 bills were quite common in Europe with military personnel. The money circulating outside the USA could not easily be taken out of circulation, so bills stayed in use much longer than intended, sometimes in very bad condition, even with pieces taped together. Today, there is a common misconception by the public that the $2 bill is no longer in circulation. According to the Treasury, it "receives many letters asking why the $2 bill is no longer in circulation".[10][not in citation given] In response, the Treasury states: "The $2 bill remains one of our circulating currency denominations. According to B.E.P. statistics, 590,720,000 Series 1976 $2 bills were printed and as of February 28, 1999, $1,166,091,458 worth of $2 bills were in circulation worldwide." However, in circulation does not necessarily mean that the notes are actively circulated, only that this is the amount that has not been redeemed for shredding. The Treasury states that the best way for the $2 bill to circulate is if businesses use them as they would any other denomination. Another misconception is that the $2 bill is worth more than its face value. "Collectible" $2 bills have been made and sold by coin dealers and others in recent years merely by adding special graphics with a computer printer. However, they are not authorized by the BEP and are not worth anything more than face value on the collectors' market[11] http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=United_States_two-dollar_bill&action=edit&section=3 editHistory http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=United_States_two-dollar_bill&action=edit&section=4 editLarge size notes (approximately 7.4218 × 3.125 in ≅ 189 × 79 mm) In March 1862, the first $2 bill was issued as a Legal Tender Note (United States Note) with a portrait of Alexander Hamilton; the portrait of Hamilton used was a profile view and is unlike the portrait used currently for the $10 bill. By 1869 the $2 United States Note was redesigned with the now familiar portrait of Thomas Jefferson to the left and a vignette of the United States Capitol in the center of the obverse. This note also featured green tinting on the top and left side of the obverse. Although this note is technically a United States Note, TREASURY NOTE appeared on it instead of UNITED STATES NOTE. The reverse was completely redesigned. This series was again revised in 1874, changes on the obverse included removing the green tinting, adding a red floral design around WASHINGTON D.C., and changing the termTREASURY NOTE to UNITED STATES NOTE. The 1874 design was also issued as Series of 1875 and 1878 and by 1880 the red floral design around WASHINGTON D.C. on the United States Note was removed and the serial numbers were changed to blue. This note with the red floral design was also issued as Series of 1917 but with red serial numbers by that time.[12] National Bank Notes were issued in 1875 and feature a woman unfurling a flag and a big 2 (Lazy Duce) on the obverse, the reverse has the king of England smoking tobacco and an eagle with a shield.[13] In 1886, the first $2 Silver Certificate with a portrait of United States Civil War General Winfield Scott Hancock on the left of the obverse was issued. This design went on until 1891 when a new $2 Silv er Certificate was issued with a portrait of U.S. Treasury Secretary William Windom in the center of the obverse.[14] Two-dollar Treasury or "Coin Notes" were first issued for government purchases of silver bullion in 1890 from the silver mining industry. The reverse featured large wording of TWO in the center and a numeral 2 to the right surrounded by an ornate design that occupied almost the entire note. In 1891 the reverse of the Series of 1890 Treasury Note was redesigned because the treasury felt that it was too "busy" which would make it too easy to counterfeit. More open space was incorporated into the new design.[15] In 1896 The famous "Educational Series" Silver Certificate was issued. The entire obverse of the note was covered in artwork with an allegorical figure of science presenting steam and electricity to commerce and manufacture. The reverse of the note featured portraits of Robert Fulton and Samuel F. B. Morse surrounded by an ornate design that occupied almost the entire note. By 1899 however, The $2 Silver Certificate was redesigned with a small portrait of George Washington surrounded by allegorical figures representing agriculture and mechanics.[16] The only large-sized, Federal Reserve Note–like $2 bill was issued in 1918 as a Federal Reserve Bank Note. Each note was an obligation of the issuing Federal Reserve Bank and could only be redeemed at the corresponding bank. The obverse of the note featured a border-less portrait of Thomas Jefferson to left and wording in the entire center. The reverse featured a World War I battleship.[17] Small size notes http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=United_States_two-dollar_bill&action=edit&section=6 edit1929–1966 (6.14 × 2.61 in ≅ 156 × 66 mm) In 1929, when all U.S. currency was changed to its current size, the $2 bill was issued only as a United States Note. The obverse featured a cropped version of Thomas Jefferson's portrait that had been on previous $2 bills. The reverse featured Jefferson's home, the Monticello. The note's seal and serial numbers were red. The Series of 1928 $2 bill featured the treasury seal superimposed by the United States Note obligation to the left and a large gray TWO to the right.[18] In 1953 the $2 bill received design changes analogous to the $5 United States Note. The treasury seal was made smaller and moved to the right side of the bill; it was superimposed over the gray wordTWO. The United States Note obligation now became superimposed over a gray numeral 2. The reverse remained unchanged.[19] The final change to $2 United States Notes came in 1963 when the motto IN GOD WE TRUST was added to the reverse over the Monticello.[20] And, because dollar bills were soon to no longer be redeemable in silver, WILL PAY TO THE BEARER ON DEMAND was removed from the obverse. These $2 bills were officially discontinued in August 1966. http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=United_States_two-dollar_bill&action=edit&section=7 edit1976–Present (6.14 × 2.61 in ≅ 156 × 66 mm) In April, 1976, the Treasury Department reintroduced the $2 bill as a cost-saving measure.[21] Series 1976 $2 bills were redesigned and issued as a Federal Reserve Note. The obverse remains basically unchanged since 1929 and features the same portrait of Jefferson. A green treasury seal and serial numbers replace the red used on the previous United States Notes. Since the reissue of the bill coincided with the United States Bicentennial, it was decided to use a bicentennial themed design on the reverse. An engraved rendition of John Trumbull's The Declaration of Independence replaced Monticello on the reverse. First day issues of the new $2 bills could be taken to a post office and stamped with the date "APR 13 1976". In all, 590,720,000 notes from Series 1976 were printed. In 1996 and 1997, 153,600,000 bills were printed[22] as Series 1995 for the Federal Reserve District of Atlanta. In 2004, 121,600,000 of the Series 2003 bills were printed for the Minneapolis Federal Reserve Bank. An issue of Series 2003A $2 bills was printed from July to September 2006 for all 12 Federal Reserve Banks. In all, 220,800,000 notes were printed. [23] In February 2012, the B.E.P. printed 512,000 Series 2009 $2 Star Notes, in anticipation of more regular runs being printed later in 2012. Series 2009 $2 bills were issued to banks during the summer of 2012. [24][25] "T 626" notes (5.59 × 2.44 in ≅ 142 × 62 mm) To give an eficcient answer to a number of counterfeits and lowering the counterfeit levels, the O530Fn942012 Design Center inserts the "T 626" Dollar Bill, like this 2 dollar bill, like the $5, $10, $20, $50, $100, $200 and $1000 in a web private contest, and was ranked 12th worldwide. An commemorative version of 2 Dollar Bill for "Entre Palavras" was issued with a special serial number: FL 201 26176 B. Category:T 626 Paper Currency